Unexpected Outcomes
by Ginny Weasley
Summary: Edward leaves Bella during New Moon. When she’s turned into a vampire by an unexpected person, she begins a new life. What happens when, after ten years, she runs into the family she thought wanted nothing to do with her?
1. Chapter 1

Starts as Bella is in the Meadow during Chapter 10 of "New Moon"

Starts as Bella is in the Meadow during Chapter 10 of "New Moon"

I took actual text from Chapter 10 and mixed it with my own for this first chapter. It helped tie together the book and my story. Please enjoy!

These characters belong to the great and powerful Stephenie Meyer. I don't own them, I just came up with this story in the middle of the night and couldn't help but write it all out.

--

_Alone_. I repeated the word with grim satisfaction as I wrenched myself to my feet despite the pain. At precisely that moment, a figure stepped out from the tress to the north, some thirty paces away.

A dizzying array of emotions shot through me in a second. The first was surprise; I was far from any trail here, and I didn't expect company. Then, as my eyes focused on the motionless figure, seeing the utter stillness, the pallid skin, a rush of piercing hope rocked through me. I suppressed it viciously, fighting against the equally sharp lash of agony as my eyes continued to the face beneath the black hair, the face that wasn't the one I wanted to see. Next was fear; this was not the face I grieved for, but it was close enough for me to know the man facing me was no stray hiker.

And finally, in the end, recognition.

"Laurent!" I cried in surprised pleasure. It was an irrational response. I probably should have stopped at fear.

"Bella?" he asked, looking more astonished than I felt.

"You remember." I smiled. It was ridiculous that I should be so elated because a vampire knew my name.

He grinned. "I didn't expect to see you here." He strolled toward me, his expression bemused.

"Isn't it the other way around? I do live here. I thought you'd gone to Alaska."

He stopped about ten paces away, cocking his head to the side. Here was someone I didn't have to pretend for-someone who already knew everything I could never say.

"You're right," he agreed. "I did go to Alaska. Still, I didn't expect… When I found the Cullen place empty, I thought they'd moved on."

"Oh." I bit my lip as the name set raw edges of my wound throbbing. It took me a second to compose myself. Laurent waited with curious eyes.

"They did move on," I finally managed to tell him.

"I see," he answered. I finally noticed how ill-at-ease he seemed, he kept looking around as though he expected something to jump out of the trees.

"So how are things working out in Denali? Carlisle said you were staying with Tanya?"

The question made him pause. "I like Tanya very much," he mused. "And her sister Irina even more… I've never stayed in one place for so long before, and I enjoy the advantages, the novelty of it. I've even taken on their lifestyle. Though I find it difficult still, they were able to open my eyes to a new way of life."

"That's great. I'm glad you've found a place with them. It would make Carlisle very pleased to know they have you," I said, actually feeling very relieved that he had come upon me here. Knowing he was not a carnivore anymore made me more at ease. "Did Victoria ever find you?" I asked, though immediately regretted it. Victoria, who had hunted me with James, and then disappeared, was not someone I wanted to think about.

"Yes," he said, once again, looking around uneasily. "I actually came here as a favor to her." He made a face. "She won't be happy about this," he added sadly.

"About what?" I asked eagerly.

He sighed and looked down. "I was almost relieved when I went by the Cullen's place and saw it deserted. I thought you had gone too. You see, Victoria's sort of… put out with you Bella."

"Me?" I squeaked.

He shook his head. "I know, it seems a little backward to me, too. But James was her mate, and your Edward killed him."

His name tore against my unhealed wounds like a serrated edge.

"She thought it more appropriate to kill you than Edward," he continued, "fair turnabout, mate for mate. She asked me to get the lay of the land for her, so to speak. I really came to warn Carlisle to take you and run. I didn't imagine you'd be so easy to get to. I'm so glad I got here before she did. Why did Edward leave you unprotected, Bella?"

His name was more than I could take.

"He left me!" I cried, as I fell to the ground. I felt the pain coming again so I returned to my ball-shaped form. "He didn't want me, Laurent! I guess I didn't really mean anything to him after all."

"Bella," Laurent kneeled down, and put his hand on my shoulder, "Victoria is coming for you. She'll be here any day now. She's not going to mind if Edw- if he left you. She wants her revenge and in her mind, you must destroyed."

"Maybe I want to be destroyed," I murmured, barely audible, but I knew he could hear me. "I can't take this pain. It might be better if she were to just kill me."

"I'm sorry, Bella. I can't let her kill you," he got up and turned to face the opposite side of the meadow. "She won't be nice about it. If you knew what she had planned for you…" He shook his head with a slow movement, almost as if in disgust. "The pain she would put you through would be so much more than what you're going through now. There's only one thing that can be done to keep you safe, Bella."

I looked up at him through my tears as he turned to face me. His face was sad, almost like he was about to do something that would pain him.

"What is it?" I asked him, confused and a little scared.

He stepped up toward me and kneeled next to me.

"I'm so sorry, Bella," Laurent whispered, right before I felt a sharp blow to the back of my head and I blacked out.


	2. Chapter 2

Starts as Bella is in the Meadow during Chapter 10 of "New Moon"

The pain was unbearable. I'd been in a haze of pain for longer than I could imagine. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew what was happening. I was changing. I knew it the first moment that burning filled my body. That same burning I had felt when James had bitten my hand.

The pain didn't allow much chance to think, but when a small reprieve would come, I couldn't help but be confused as to why I was changing into a vampire. Who had bitten me?

The last thing I remembered before the pain was speaking with Laurent in the meadow and something hitting me in the back of the head before blacking out.

Had Victoria come? Was Laurent alright? What had happened? Who had bitten me? Why wouldn't this pain stop?

--

I must have blacked out from the pain. When I woke up, I knew I must be nearing the end. The burning had started to fade. My heart felt faint. Soon it would beat for the last time. All I wanted to do was open my eyes. But my body wasn't ready to let me do that yet.

The hours passed as I felt my heart grow fainter and fainter with each beat. Finally, the pain was gone and I felt nothing in my chest. I knew it was done.

Slowly, I opened my eyes. The room I was in was dark, but that didn't hinder my sight. The ceiling looked like it was made of logs. I looked around and the entire room looked to be made the same. I appeared to be in some log cabin, but where?

The only thing I knew was that I was alone, how fitting. Alone once again. I guess now I would be alone forever since I had become immortal. I was doomed to spend forever knowing that Edward didn't want me.

I got up off of the bed I had been laying on, walking around the single room cabin. I looked out the window and immediately knew I wasn't in Forks anymore.

As I was looking out the window, I spotted something coming toward the cabin, and it was coming fast. I froze, knowing that this was no animal, but must be the one who bit me. I both wanted to know, and didn't want to know who had condemned me to this life.

As the figured approached the cabin, he slowed and I recognized that it was Laurent. He saw me looking through the window and rushed in through the door.

"You're awake," he said, sounding relieved and worried at the same time.

"Laurent?" In just that one word were the millions of questions running through my head, and he seemed to be picking up on that.

"Bella, I'm so sorry," he bowed his head in shame. "This was the only way you would be safe from Victoria. She would never go after you as a newborn; you're too strong for her. And by the time you're equal in strength, she'll have lost interest. It was the only way to save you."

I walked to a small table in the corner opposite the bed and sat in one of the chairs. I couldn't think straight. My throat was starting to burn and my head hurt from all the confusion.

"Bella, you need to feed," he said as he came to sit across from me. "Right now I'm guessing you feel the burning in your throat. You want to understand what is going on, but nothing is going to make much sense until you feed." The look on his face was one of concern. "Please, Bella. Come hunting with me and I will explain everything when we come back."

"But what if we find a human?" I asked, horrified of what I could possibly do if I smelled a human and went after it.

"We're far from any civilization here. We won't go far; there are plenty of animals in the area. Please trust me."

He stood up and held his hand out to me. I reluctantly took the offered hand and we headed out the door.

Running was something I never thought that I could enjoy. Every time I had been with Edwa… with him, I had not been able to really enjoy the experience. And as a human, running for me was usually a clumsy experience. I was amazed at what it felt like to really run. For the first time since he had left, I felt free, this was something beyond exhilarating.

As we were running, I caught a scent on the breeze that was the most mouthwatering smell I'd ever come across. I quickly changed directions to investigate that amazing aroma.

I could hear Laurent behind me, giving me my space, but keeping an eye on me, all the same. Quickly we came upon a herd of moose grazing in a clearing.

Without a second thought I was on the first one as the rest of the herd scattered. I heard Laurent take one down not far from me, but I was too preoccupied with how the blood I had once feared tasted like the finest delicacy in the world.

Luckily for me, I had taken down a large moose and was filled after just the one kill. When the burning in my throat had lessoned, I felt rational again and turned to see Laurent finishing off his kill. Once he had finished, he placed the animal on the ground and turned to me.

"Better?" he asked, walking toward me.

"Yes," I answered quietly, not sure of what to say next. I had so many questions running through my head that I didn't know where to start.

"Come, I'll explain everything back at the cabin," Laurent said as we ran back toward the cabin.

--

"I hit you with a branch," he started once we were back in the cabin. I was seated on the bed and he was pacing the floor. He looked ashamed. "I had to knock you out so I could get you somewhere secluded. I couldn't turn you while you were in the meadow. There were too many humans nearby, and I needed to get you someplace that Victoria couldn't find you. I hit you with a branch, picked you up and brought you here."

"Where is here?" I interrupted, unsure of where we were.

"The Yukon Territory. Canada. Just west of the Peel River. I found this cabin after I was first turned and was on my own. I knew this would be a good place to take you for your change, and to spend your time as a newborn. We're 300 kilometers from the nearest human population. This is the safest place for you until you're more in control." He turned to face me. "I'm so sorry, Bella. I never wanted to hurt you, and I know that this is not what you wanted. Please know that this was the only way for you to be safe from Victoria."

I sat in silence, my knees under my chin. This was just too much for me to take in. I was a vampire. I could never see Charlie or my mother again, or Jacob. I wondered what they thought had happened to me. There was so much to think about. And although I knew I should be thinking of Charlie and Renee and Jacob and all my human friends, the main through in my mind was that the day might come where I come face-to-face with Edward Cullen again. I didn't know if I could do that.

"Bella?" Laurent asked. I looked up at him. He looked honestly concerned for me. I couldn't understand why.

"Why are you taking care of me, Laurent?" I asked. "You have a life in Denali, with Tanya and her sisters. Why would you care so much to keep Victoria from killing me?"

He looked pained for a moment, and then spoke. "Bella, for decades I have preyed on humans. I thought nothing of the lives I was taking, just of the blood that my body desired. I didn't think anything of it until that fateful night that I met you and the Cullen family. I had never met a coven who considered themselves family before and it was a wonderful thought. I saw how they all cared for you, a human, and my view on life began to change. Tanya's family has helped me finish that change, but the one who planted the seed that made me into a 'good' vampire was Carlisle Cullen. When I knew that Victoria wanted you dead, I couldn't let that happen to Carlisle's family. I knew that hurting you would hurt them all and I had to do something.

"They may have left you, but I have no doubt that they cared for you. I don't know why they left, but knowing you had once meant enough to them to fight James made me realize that I couldn't let Victoria hurt you. This is the only way I could repay them for what they have done for me… I only hope that you can forgive me for doing this to you."

He hung his head, shameful of what he had done, and continued, "Helping you become a good vampire too is my way of saying thank you to them. Irina will understand if I can't be there much. I'll tell her the truth, but I promise not to tell the rest of them. Edward will never hear of this if you don't want him to. I truly believe that you can live a good life as a vampire, Bella, and I'm here to help you in any way that I can."

"Edward can never know. None of them can," I whispered, "Tell Irina, but make her promise to tell no one, even her sisters, and that she must keep her mind off of this if Edward is ever near her. He'll see it in her mind and I can't have that. He wanted nothing to do with me and I'll make sure he doesn't have to deal with me ever again. Now teach me to be a good vampire, Laurent. Make sure I never kill


	3. Chapter 3

Starts as Bella is in the Meadow during Chapter 10 of "New Moon"

Ten Years Later

I wiped the steam off the mirror and checked my image. I saw my contoured facial features, my porcelain skin. I had the true beauty of a vampire, and it still felt so strange to look at myself in the mirror. My eyes were a light amber color, since I had fed earlier that night. I'd needed to feed more often lately because today was going to be the true test of my strength. Today was the first day of my senior year of high school.

I had just 'transferred' into this school in Northern Scotland. At least that was part of the story: My uncle and I had just moved to the area. My parents had died and my uncle had adopted me and he had been called here on a job.

This was going to be my first attempt at high school as a vampire. I didn't know if I'd have the restraint to keep myself from wanting to kill the other students, but I wanted to make Laurent proud of me.

Laurent had really become like a father to me in the last ten years. He had taken care of me and had made sure I didn't kill a single human. He had told Irina of the situation and she had agreed to keep our secret. We had eventually told Irina's family and they had welcomed the two of us in with open arms to help with my education. Tanya had become as dear to me as a mother during those years we spent with them, and everyone in their family made sure to keep my secret safe. None of the Cullen's knew of my existence as a vampire and for that I was grateful.

The past ten years had been a roller coaster ride and I owed so much to Laurent. He had taught me how to be a good vampire, just as he had promised, and in return I had become a friend and companion. We moved around a lot more than was necessary, but we didn't want to take any chance of being discovered.

We had stayed in the cabin for that rough first year, and then gone to Denali for two years. Once I had been subjected to the scent of humans, we moved to larger population areas, and had now made it here. Laurent was sure that I could do this. He was so certain that I wouldn't kill a human that he was sending me off to school on my own.

I was scared, but I knew that Laurent wouldn't send me if he wasn't confident in my abilities. I quickly dried my hair and chose a modest sweater and jeans from my closet and headed downstairs.

Laurent was flipping through channels on his prized 64-inch television when I came into the room.

"Are you ready?" he asked me, looking up at as I entered.

"I guess," I answered nervously, "Are you sure you don't want me to hang around with you for another year?"

"You are going to be great," he got up from the couch and put his hands on my shoulders. "I have the utmost faith in your abilities and I know you can do this. Just remember to be inconspicuous. Don't draw attention to yourself and keep your distance from the other students. If you need anything, just call me and I'll tell the office there has been an emergency and you need to come home."

"Thanks," I smiled at him, "but I think I'll be ok. I want to make you proud of me, and I am determined to do this. Try not to get too bored without me today." And with that I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and was out the door to the garage.

I had never really picked up on that love of fast and ostentatious cars that Alice and Rosalie had. I was a bit more reserved when it came to my vehicle. I had found my baby though in the form of a motorcycle. When I found it, it reminded me of my time with Jacob and had made me smile. I couldn't stop myself from smiling every time I rode my baby.

I put on my helmet, for the sake of appearances, and pulled out onto the road and headed to the school. I couldn't help but be nervous as I pulled into the parking lot of the school.

Heads turned toward me as I parked. Mostly guys wanting to know who drove such a great bike. I always hated it when the guys ogled my bike. Almost as much as I hated when I took off the helmet and they ogled me instead, and this was no different than most other occasions. My vampire beauty was too much for these human men to take. I could almost understand Rosalie's vanity now, but I hated the attention as much as she liked it.

I stowed my helmet, grabbed my bag and headed off toward the front office. I was almost there when the scent hit me--I wasn't the only vampire in this school and that made me worry. I knew I would have to be extremely cautious today. I knew there were very few covens that held the same diet as me, and I was just a bit nervous that this could be someone I didn't want to see.

I carefully headed into the office and picked up my schedule and went in the direction of my first class. The scent of at least two vampires was all over the school, but I didn't see any sign of them in the near vicinity. They must be aware of me by now and acting cautiously as well. I decided to go about my day as normal until I was forced to face these others.

I was not succeeding in my desire to be unnoticed. It reminded me of my first day at Forks High School. Though I remembered little of my time as a human, my time in Forks was burned into my memory forever. I guess losing love could do that to a person, and I had never really gotten over the hole in my chest that Edward had left.

People stared at me, but no one approached me; smart humans. I walked calmly along the hallway to the classroom when I looked up. I swear that if my heart were beating, it would have stopped dead in its tracks as my eyes locked with those of Rosalie Hale.


	4. Chapter 4

Starts as Bella is in the Meadow during Chapter 10 of "New Moon"

"Bella?" I heard her ask from the opposite end of the hallway. She looked as though she were in complete shock.

I started to panic. If Rosalie were here, that would mean that Edward would be here. I wanted to make my escape, but right as I was preparing to turn and make a run for it, a huge hulking figure came around the corner toward Rosalie. When Emmett reached her, he took in her shocked expression and followed her gaze to me. There wasn't time for him to react before his phone rang. He picked it up, and though I was far away, I could hear the excited voice of Alice flowing through from the other end.

"Emmett, I just saw Bella at school with you," she said excitedly into the phone.

"Um, yeah," he whispered into the phone, as though he were in shock, his gaze never leaving my face.

"I'll be right there; I'm over in the Biology lab." And with that, I heard the click of the phone, and knew that there was no escape for me. With a nod of my head I acknowledged them and knew they understood the need for us to not make a scene. They tried to busy themselves by gathering their things.

It wasn't sixty seconds before I heard the two sets of excited footsteps coming up behind me. I slowly turned to meet my former friends as they came to a stop just mere feet from me.

"Bella?" Alice looked as though she would cry if she had the ability, and Jasper looked nervous.

"We should go somewhere else," I stated, knowing Emmett and Rosalie would be listening in. "I don't know the area too well yet. Where can we go that we won't be disturbed?"

"There's an old deserted warehouse not far from here. No one goes there, and we'll be able to talk. We go there a lot, just follow our scents," Jasper said quietly, and seeming to pick up on my unease, he added, "Don't worry, he's not here with us."

I let out the breath I didn't realize I was holding, and quickly nodded and walked away from them toward the parking lot.

I got on my baby, found the trail of their scents and sped away toward the warehouse, knowing they would not be far behind me. My thoughts were a jumbled mess. I kept telling myself that I knew this day would come, but I didn't fathom that it would happen so soon. A part of me was pleased to see my old friends, although I don't think you could really call Rosalie a friend, but another part of me knew that this family traveled together. If these four were here, that could only mean that he would be here too, no matter what Jasper said. I pulled into the lot of the warehouse and jumped off my bike, as a bright yellow sports car pulled up beside me.

Alice was the first one out and in less than a second she had thrown her little body on top of mine in a mass of hugs and kisses.

"Bella!" she cried. "Bella, I'm so sorry! I never wanted to leave, but he was so adamant about it and we weren't allowed to come back and check on you." She was speaking so fast that even I had trouble keeping up with her, but I got the idea. I couldn't help but smile and laugh with my old friend. I had missed Alice almost as much as I'd missed Edwa…

I finally pried her off of me enough to say hello to the others. Emmett wrapped me in a huge bear hug, whispering how he'd missed. Even Rosalie, who had never particularly warmed to me, and Jasper, who could never get close to me because of my human blood, gave me welcoming hugs.

"Bella, what happened to you?" Jasper finally asked once the reunion had calmed down and we had all moved inside the warehouse so as not to attract attention to ourselves. "What happened after we… left you?" he added with a pained expression. I noticed that they all visibly winced when he said those last two words.

So I told them my story. How I changed when Edward left, became a shell of a person, though this part was extremely difficult to tell. My fun times with Jacob, and how I was beginning to emerge from my shell. Laurent in the meadow, and my years with Tanya's coven, and traveling the world with my father-figure. Lastly, I told them how I had come to this school to finish my high school degree, though I had studied online courses during my years away from civilization.

They all sat and took in everything I said, word for word. When I had finished, I leaned against the wall, waiting for everything to sink in for them.

After a few minutes, it was Rosalie who spoke up first.

"I'm so sorry, Bella." And I could see in her eyes, she meant every word of it. "After your birthday, Edward was really shaken up. I think we all were, but he was the worst. He had the thought in his head that if we all left, you'd be free to live your life as a human. I have to say I agreed with him. I never wanted to see you have to live like us. I wanted you to have all the things I never had: children, a family. I helped him convince the family to leave, thinking you would be better off without us all around. I had no idea that it would turn out like this." I could see the silent, dry sobs she was trying to fight. Emmett pulled her into his arms and looked to me.

"We didn't want to hurt you, Bella," he whispered, while he comforted his wife. "Edward had one hell of a fight on his hands when he told us he wanted to leave Forks, and leave you with it. I thought he'd lost his mind. It was obvious he was ignoring the fact that he loved you to try to save you."

"You must have been wrong then," I stated coldly. "He made it clear when he left that he didn't love me or want me anymore."

"Bella," Alice cut in, "don't you see? He told you that so you wouldn't follow us. He was miserable after we left. He stopped playing the piano, he would barely hunt, all he would do was sit in his room and stare into space. He only stayed with us a few months before heading out on his own." My head shot up at that bit of news.

"He's not here with you?" I asked, dumbfounded.

"I think we all reminded him too much of the time he spent with you," Jasper took over for Alice when she looked sadly away from me. "He checks in with us every few months, but he has been wandering by himself these past ten years. Last we heard from him, he was in South America, living with one of the Amazon tribes as a medicine man. It's been especially difficult for Esme, knowing he's in so much pain. He still loves you, Bella. He just thought you deserved to be able to live like a normal human. If he knew you had been changed, he'd be devastated to know he couldn't have saved you from this life, but he would no doubt set out to find you."

"Which is exactly why he can't know," I added in quickly. "Please, all of you, you can't tell him what has happened. I can't face him. I feel as though there's a hole in my chest where my heart once was. He ripped that out when he left me there, alone, crying in the woods. He broke my heart, and I can't just allow him back into my life." They all looked to about to protest, but I stopped them. "Please, you can't tell him." I looked at each of them desperately. "He can never know."

Alice stepped up to me, nodding her head.

"Alright, Bella, we won't tell him, and we'll do the best we can to hide our thoughts if he comes to visit. Your secret is safe with us, but please allow us to tell Esme and Carlisle. This could bring Esme back into her joyful nature. She has been mourning the loss of Edward these past ten years, and we all long to see her smile again. Please, come back to the house with us so you can see them again."

"I would love to see Esme and Carlisle again," I said, warmly, "just let me get Laurent. I know that he would appreciate seeing them again. He always says that it was Carlisle who planted the seeds to make him a 'good vampire.' If you would like to accompany me back to our home, we can all go together to see Carlisle and Esme."

They all agreed, and we headed out to get Laurent. I knew he would be beyond surprised, and I only hoped that he would not also insist that I tell Edward of my vampire existence.


	5. Chapter 5

Starts as Bella is in the Meadow during Chapter 10 of "New Moon"

Laurent was indeed surprised when I showed up with four other vampires following me. He had arrived on the porch of our home ready for a fight and had been shocked to find who was with me. I saw the silent question in his eyes asking me if Edward knew I was here, and I shook my head slightly to answer 'no.'

He was pleased to see the Cullen children again, and was very pleased to join us in going to see Carlisle and Esme. Jasper drove the car back to the house while Alice, Rosalie, and Emmett ran with us to the house. I found myself growing more nervous about seeing the two who had always treated me as a daughter as we ran. I was glad that Jasper had driven the car, so that he wouldn't have to feel my nervousness.

As we got to the house, Esme and Carlisle were coming onto the porch, likely to see who was arriving with their children. I'll never forget the look on Esme's face when she saw me. If tears were possible for a vampire, they would have been streaming down her face as she ran off the porch and pulled me into her arms.

Soon I felt Carlisle join in our hug, and could feel his silent sobs as they embraced me. When they pulled back, both felt the need to touch my face, my hair, my arms, to make sure I was real. Esme kept hugging me and kissing my cheeks, her eyes looking as though she had just been given the best gift in the world.

When Jasper arrived with the car, we all went inside so I could tell my tale once again. Laurent added his bits this time through, and I once again stressed the necessity that Edward not know that I was here. I could tell this pained Esme greatly when I said that last bit. Finally, our tale had ended, and I found myself once again waiting for everything to sink in.

Carlisle was the first to break the silence.

"Tanya has known all this time," he whispered. I saw confusion and hurt at this betrayal of his old friends.

"Please don't feel betrayed, Carlisle," I quickly added, "I asked them to keep this from you. I thought you wanted nothing to do with me. All of you. Edward had made it clear when he left that none of you would ever bother me again. He even told me he didn't love me. I couldn't let you know of my existence believing what he had made me believe."

"Oh Bella," Esme sighed, "it broke our hearts to leave you that way. You were one of my daughters and I hated what we did. I can't blame you for thinking that." She came to my side and hugged me once again, seemingly unable to get enough of touching me. "I am so sorry for what we did to you." With that, the sobbing started again.

Carlisle, seeing that his wife needed to be alone with me for a time, quickly invited Laurent up to his study to speak about things, and with a nod, silently told his children to go elsewhere.

When the room had cleared, I held Esme to me. My almost-mother. The woman who had treated me with more kindness than most humans had in my lifetime. I held her while she sobbed. I felt myself break down too, and we held each other as we let out the grief we had held for the past ten years. She finally pulled away to once again look at me.

"Bella, you are beautiful," she said, cradling my face as only a mother could. "I'm so sorry that you had to live this life, but you seem to be happy. Are you happy, my dear?"

"I am happy," I answered slowly. "I am lucky to have Laurent. He cares for me as a father would, and I owe him so much. He knows that changing me was not what I had wanted. When he found me and told me Victoria wanted me dead, I told him I wanted to die. I was nothing but a shell when Edward left. I did a lot of stupid things that put myself at risk. I secretly hoped for death so I could end the pain. But my pain has lessoned through the years. I know Laurent did what he had to do to keep me safe from Victoria."

"Do you think you could re-consider letting Edward know you are here?" She asked, hopefully. "He is in such pain. He calls us every few months, but he secretly sends me letters every week. He talks of the same pain you experience, and his guilt at leaving you is killing him."

"Esme," I started, but she wouldn't let me finish.

"Bella, I know you still love him. I see it in your eyes every time you say his name. And I know that he still loves you. He talks of nothing but you in his letters. Of how he saw someone who had eyes that were the same color as yours and how that person paled in comparison. Everything he does makes him miserable, because he cannot help put think of you and how much he loves you. Bella, I just want my family to be complete again. I don't need you to decide right now, I'd like you to have something to help you decide what should be done. Give me just a moment." She quickly left the room, and returned a moment later with a stack of envelopes.

"These are all the letters I've received from Edward since he left us ten years ago. I want you to read them. Please, read them and consider what I've asked." She handed me the letters and embraced me again. I looked at the letters and knew I had a long night ahead of me.


	6. Chapter 6

Starts as Bella is in the Meadow during Chapter 10 of "New Moon"

When Laurent and I left that evening, it was with a promise that we would return again soon, and with a promise from Alice that we had at least three classes together at school.

We headed home and sensing that I needed to be alone, Laurent left me to my reading. I went up to my room and with shaking hands pulled out the stack of letters that Esme had given me. They were organized by the date they were sent. I pulled out the first one and read it:

_My dear mother,_

_I am sorry for leaving the family behind. The pain I feel everyday being around them is unbearable. The love in the house is too much for me, knowing I will never find love again. I ask myself everyday why I left her. Did I do the right thing? But more than anything, I wonder if she still thinks of me. I know that wanting that is exactly the opposite of why I left her. I left her so she would never have to think of me again. _

_I am currently in Alaska visiting Tanya's coven. She said Laurent stayed with them for a time and that he and Irina have become close. He has gone to visit an old friend, and I find myself relieved because his presence would just remind me of Bella. I still love her, Esme. I have to stop myself everyday from going to her and telling her I was wrong, but I know that I cannot do that. I promised her that she would never see me again, and I must keep that promise. I miss you dearly. I need to be away from the happiness that the others feel when they are together. I don't deserve happiness and I will see to it that I'm not happy ever again. Please don't tell the others of my letters to you. These are for you, and you alone. I will speak with them when I am ready. I love you, mother. Please don't grieve for me._

_Edward_

I continued reading through the letters, all much the same as the first. Each one broke my heart more and more. The last one was dated just days ago:

_Dear Esme,_

_South America is a beautiful country; however the beauty of this land pales in comparison to the beauty of Bella. All I have of her are my memories and they bring me both joy and pain. Everything I do reminds me of her. Every scratch on a child makes me think of a time where she tripped and scratched herself up. I can only hope that she has gone on to live a life with love in it. Maybe she has children. That breaks my heart knowing that she could be happy with someone else. I know I don't deserve to even be jealous of whoever she is with now. I still find myself hoping that she thinks of me occasionally. It's selfish I know. I love her so much, mother. I can't help it. She is everything to me. I'll write again soon. I love you, Mother._

_Edward_

I sat and held that letter in my hand. Edward still loved me. After ten years, he thought of nothing but me. I finally understood why he left, though it hurt me deeply still. He wanted me to have children. How would he react if he knew I was here? I found myself begin to want him to know. I missed him so much, but could I really face him after all these years? I couldn't deny how much I loved him though.

It hit me suddenly. I was going to give Esme what she wanted. Now that I knew he still wanted me, I couldn't deny her that one true wish of hers. Laurent could go spend time with Irina again. I knew he missed her but felt the obligation to be with me.

It was time for me to face my fear and get back my heart.

It was still fairly early in the morning, and school didn't start for hours, so I decided to go see Esme about my decision.

Alice must have seen me coming in a vision because she was waiting for me on the front porch. She just smiled and told me that Esme was in the library, and how to get there. I thanked her and ran into the house.

I found the room and knocked quietly on the door.

"Come in, Bella, dear," I heard her say, and I came into the room.

"Esme," I started, "I've read the letters. Are you certain that Edward still loves me?"

"Bella, I know that he does. I have no doubt in my mind that he does."

"Then tell him to come home. Don't tell him about me when you talk with him. I need to tell him about this in person. Just tell him something that will bring him home. I'll reveal myself when he gets here."

"Oh Bella, Thank you," she was up out of her chair in embracing me again. It didn't take long to realize the entire house had been listening in as they were all there soon embracing me and thanking me as well. It made me happy to know that I was reuniting their family.

Esme quickly excused herself to go make the call to Edward. We all quieted to hear what she was saying.

"Edward, dear. You need to come home…. Yes dear I know, but trust me when I say that you are needed right now here at home…. Please, Edward, come home for me. I just need you to see something then you can leave if you want to…. Immediately, son. We need you here immediately…. I love you too, thank you. I'll see you soon." We heard the phone click off and Esme came back up to the library where we all waited.

"He is leaving the village immediately and will be on the first flight out. He'll be here by tomorrow morning. Until then, I suggest you all get ready for school, since you missed classes yesterday." She hugged each of her children, looking truly happy. Seeing she and

Carlisle looking so pleased, I knew I had made the right decision.

I bid farewell to everyone and returned home to get ready for school and to have a discussion with Laurent about what was about to come.

--

"Laurent?" I asked as I knocked on his door, entering when he beckoned. "I need to talk to you about something."

"What is it, Bella?" He asked, putting down his book.

"I'm going to talk to Edward," I admitted, feeling suddenly nervous. "Esme gave me all the letters that Edward had sent her in the past ten years. He still loves me, Laurent. He beats himself up constantly for leaving me, but he truly believed that he was giving me a chance at a life. I still love him and he still loves me. Esme is having him come home, and I'm going to talk to him. If he still wants me, I'm going to stay with him. Please don't think I'm abandoning you if I do that. I love you, and you know that, but he's everything to me."

"Bella," he said, and I finally looked up at him, seeing his smile, "this is the only thing I wish for you. I want you to be happy, and I knew that someday, you would find him again, and you would join his family. I love you as a daughter. You have been the best companion and friend I could ask for. I know that it's time for me to return to Irina. I'm so proud of you, Bella. You have become everything I hoped you would be. And you are always welcome to visit me. What time will he be here?"

"Sometime tonight or tomorrow morning. I imagine I'll be missing school again. Maybe you should call and tell them I had an emergency and won't be in until next week." I said as I hugged my 'father.'

"I will, and you go figure out what you're going to tell that boy when he gets here." He got up to go call the school and get me out for the next week. I called Alice to let her know I wouldn't be there, so she wouldn't worry when I didn't show up. She was understanding and told me that Edward would be arriving at the house around 1 AM. She also told me that Esme wanted me to be at the house a few hours earlier. I thanked her and went to spend the rest of the day with my loving father, knowing that it could be the last day we spend together for a long time.

Laurent and I didn't do anything special on that last day. We spent the morning in his study, reading in companionable silence. During the afternoon, we went hunting, though neither of us needed to. It was just something that we enjoyed doing together. The day passed more quickly than I was prepared for. Soon it was time for me to head to the Cullen's house to see how the rest of my life would turn out. I hugged my father, telling him I'd be back once Edward and I had a chance to talk fully.

I decided I needed a bit of a distraction, so I hopped on my bike and drove over to the house. Riding my bike always seemed to help clear my head, but this time, I was too worried. What if he didn't want me as a vampire? What if he saw me and was disgusted with what I had become? These worries were racing through my mind as I rode to face my destiny.


	7. Chapter 7

Starts as Bella is in the Meadow during Chapter 10 of "New Moon"

The entire family was waiting for me in the family room when I walked into the house. Carlisle was the first to welcome me.

"Bella," he started, smiling more than I had ever seen him smile before, "Thank you for this. Our family has been incomplete since we left Forks ten years ago. I hope you know that you were always considered one of our family."

Esme was upon me then, hugging me and re-affirming the words of her husband. I felt the arms of the entire family join in the embrace from Esme and I couldn't help but fear that I would let them down. That Edward would not want me and would once again leave his family.

"I would like it to be just Bella and I here in the house when he arrives," Esme stated, as we all pulled away from the embrace. "I will greet him, and inform him of a guest that he needs to speak with, and then leave so that you and Edward can speak in privacy." I nodded, feeling worried.

I found myself growing more nervous with each passing second. What would I say to him? I started to doubt my decision to have him come home. The family was getting ready to depart, and so I knew that the time for Edward to arrive was close. Each member of the family hugged me as they left, even Rosalie, who seemed to be over her aversion to me and had apparently warmed to the idea of having me around.

The last to hug me was Jasper, who quietly whispered so only I could hear, "He loves you. He always has and always will. The fact that you're a vampire will not change the way he feels for you." I made sure to hug him extra tightly, and I could see him hiding a smile as he pulled away.

They all bid farewell and ran off to either hunt or just spend time together outside the house. My nerves were getting the better of me, so I started walking through the bottom level of the house. Esme allowed me to explore, probably knowing that I was nervous, and probably nervous herself. When I came to the parlor located at the back of the house, I noticed for the first time his grand piano.

"Do you take this with you everywhere?" I asked Esme, as I walked up to the beautiful instrument, taking a seat at the bench. This was a place of comfort for me, though I knew very little about playing.

"I cannot bear to live without it's presence," she answered calmly. "This instrument means much to Edward, and to our entire family. We have not heard it played since we left Forks." I could hear the sadness in her voice as she mentioned the loss of Edward's music.

I found myself glued to the seat here at Edward's piano, unable to move. I felt strangely calm at this spot where he had set many times. Where he had written his music.

I felt Esme tense and suddenly heard the footsteps approaching the house. She walked to the front of the house as the door opened.

I froze when I heard his voice, the voice that I had waited ten years to hear, as it called out, "Esme?"

"I'm here, Edward," I could hear the entire conversation, and suddenly realized I wasn't breathing. I heard the two embrace and separate.

"Esme, what was so important that I had to come home? You know how much it pains me to be here."

"I know, Edward, but this is incredibly important. Do you not sense a change?" She questioned.

"I sense other presences have been here. There are other vampires in the area." This seemed to be a statement rather than a question. "Both scents are familiar. One I know I've smelled before, but the other… it feels strangely familiar, but I have never sensed this particular scent before. Who has been here, mother?"

"We recently ran into a couple of old friends, Edward. One of which wishes to join our family," she started, then seeming to grow some courage. "She is actually in the parlor right now."

"Impossible," he stated, "I can't hear anything back there. If someone were here I'd be able to hear her thoughts, why can't I hear her……." He cut off, as apparently, realization had sunk in.

Before I realized it, my right hand was moving to the keys of the piano. I seemingly had no control over them as they quietly started taping the ivory keys to the melody of the one song that had haunted my dreams for the past ten years. How I knew the correct notes, I'll never know, but something in my brain knew it and I heard the notes of my lullaby quietly fill the room.

I heard him gasp from the front of the house.

"Esme?" he whispered, barely audible, but I could still hear him.

"I think you should go and meet our newest addition, Edward," she said, as I heard her pat his shoulder. "She's got one amazing story to tell." And with that I heard the door open, and within moments knew that we were alone.

He stayed where he was for a few minutes, and I continued to play that melody over and over again, as though I couldn't control the actions of my fingers. Finally I heard him slowly, almost cautiously, walk through the family room into the parlor, though in my current position, my back was to him.

"Bella?" he whispered, and finally my fingers gave me back control. I stopped mid-melody, almost too frightened to speak. I took a deep breath, turned and faced the person who broke my heart and saw his awed expression.

"Hello, Edward," I whispered back, feeling as though speaking in a normal volume would break him into a thousand pieces.

"Bella?" he asked again, appearing to be in shock. He didn't move, he just stared at me.

I didn't want to be the first one to really speak, but I knew that he needed an explanation. So I slowly began to tell him my tale. I did not edit anything. I told him everything that I had happened to me since the moment he left. I told him how Sam Uley had found me in the woods after he left me there in tears, the pain I felt for those last human months, my search for our meadow, and my time after Laurent had changed me. I watched his face for reactions, but saw only shock in his face still. I knew he was listening, but he showed no emotion on his face or in his eyes other than pure shock.

When my story was finished, we stared at each other in silence. He had still not changed his expression of shock and had not moved a single inch since he had entered the room.

"Edward, please say something," I begged, unable to take his silence anymore. "Please tell me what you're thinking. Just say something." I heard my voice crack on that, and felt a sob wrack my body.

Hearing my sob seemed to finally break him from his shock.

"Bella," he started, taking a tentative step toward me, "I'm so sorry. I never wanted this life for you, that's why I left. I wanted you to have a normal, human life. I'm so sorry that you had to become one of us."

With his words, I felt myself grow angry.

"I'm not sorry, Edward!" I exploded. "I have a good life! I am happier as a vampire than I was as a human after you left. The only thing that has kept me from true happiness as a vampire is that I didn't have you! I never stopped loving you, Edward, even after you broke my heart." I stopped for a moment, to take a deep breath, but kept speaking before he had the chance to say anything.

"You hurt me, Edward. You broke my heart. I knew that someday I would have to face you, but I didn't think it would be this soon. I've spent the past ten years thinking that you stopped loving me. When I ran into your family, I begged them all not to tell you I was here. I was convinced you wanted nothing to do with me. Then Esme gave me your letters." I saw a look of surprise cross his face. "I read your letters, and reading them finally gave me an understanding of why you left me. I understand what you wanted for me, and I also understand that you still love me. I still love you, Edward. I always have and I always will. The only thing I want to know is can you love me as a vampire?"

There. I had laid my heart out there on the line, and all that was left for him to answer my question. Unable to watch him anymore, I turned back to the piano, but kept my hands on my lap. His silence was causing me to panic. Maybe he really didn't want me as a vampire.

I was so lost in my panic-ridden thoughts that I didn't hear him come up behind me. I didn't notice he had moved until he sat next to me on the bench of his silent piano. He didn't say anything, and I felt my heart start to break again. I was pondering the fastest way to escape when he lightly touched the keys with his hands. I stared in shock as he started gently playing the entirety of my lullaby, a song I had only heard in my mind since he took the CD from my room.

"I hear this song everyday," he quietly spoke as he played. "It runs constantly in my brain along with my thoughts of you. I left you thinking that you would be able to live a human life. Get married, have children, live a fulfilling life. When I told you I didn't love you, it was the only way I could leave you. Walking away from you that day was the hardest thing I'd ever done and it haunts me every moment." He stopped talking and listened to the music as he played, then continued.

"I never wanted this life for you, but I can't help but be happy that you are here. I guess that's the selfish part of me. And I need you to know something before you say anything else." He stopped playing and turned and looked me in the eye. "I have loved you since the moment we met, Bella. But however much I loved you while you were human, I love you more than I could possibly have thought possible now."

I felt a smile break out across my face, and saw him return my smile, and it was mere seconds before I was in his arms. Back where I belonged. I had never forgotten what it was like to kiss him, but kissing him as a vampire was different. No more hot to cold skin, no more delicate touches. Our kiss was fierce and filled with a passion that had been building for ten years. I knew that I was home.


	8. Epilogue

Starts as Bella is in the Meadow during Chapter 10 of "New Moon"

2 days later

I hate packing. It was always the worst part about moving around as much as we did. Luckily, Laurent and I had only been here a few weeks and I had procrastinated in unpacking. That meant I had very little to pack, not that I would have cared. We were leaving Scotland tomorrow. All of us were leaving. We were all heading to Alaska.

The Cullen's had a house not far from Tanya's and being there would mean that all the people I cared for most would be there for the most important moment of my life.

Edward and I were getting married, and much to Alice's dismay, we were having a small wedding in a clearing behind Tanya's home. Laurent would be walking me down the aisle, and I couldn't be happier. Also, Emmett had ordained himself on the internet and would be performing the ceremony.

The wedding would be in a few weeks' time, to give us all time to get settled in. It was a strange feeling for me. I would be moving in with Edward at the Cullen house, and everything was falling into place so easily. I felt like I would burst from happiness. I finally felt complete.

It wasn't like I hadn't been happy in my life without Edward these past ten years. I loved my time with Laurent: seeing the world and finding myself. I had been happy, but I hadn't realized until just recently that I wasn't going to be truly happy until I had Edward back in my life.

I had been naïve to think that I could live without seeing Edward again. Now I had difficulty going five minutes without seeing his magnificent eyes, or that amazing smile. I had pouted endlessly when Laurent finally dragged me away from him so I could come home and pack my things. How had I really gone ten years without seeing that face?

Everyone had been so happy when they'd come back to the house two days ago to find Edward and I cuddled up together on a couch in the family room. Even Laurent was there to congratulate us. Just hours later we had decided to get married and I couldn't wait to be Mrs. Edward Cullen at last.

As I packed my things, I wished that time would go faster. I was ready to leave, to go see Tanya, Irina, and Kate. To be able to hug Carmen and Elazar again. We hadn't been to see them in over two years.

We'd all be arriving in Alaska on the same flight. Well, except for Alice and Rosalie. Those two seemed to be shocked when I told them I would probably just wear a nice shirt and jeans for the wedding. Apparently I made a good excuse for them to make a stop in Paris to buy me the perfect wedding dress, as well as shop for themselves, of course. I was so happy that I didn't even fight them on it.

Life really is a beautiful thing, and though vampires usually aren't considered blessed, I found myself feeling blessed. I guess the vampire gods were smiling on me, because my great life was just about to get better. Luckily, I had an eternity to enjoy it.


	9. Author's Notes

Starts as Bella is in the Meadow during Chapter 10 of "New Moon"

I hope you enjoyed my story. I know it wasn't the most well-written story out there. The idea came to me in the middle of the night and I just couldn't help but write it all out. It only took me about a day to get it all out on paper. As usual, it didn't turn out exactly as I expected it to, but I like how it turned out. There won't be a sequel or anything like that. I just hope you all liked it. Please review. I always appreciate criticism. Just remember I don't consider myself a great writer, so if you're going to yell at me for grammar, I already know. Thanks for reading.


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